He said on Twitter this afternoon that he was “gutted to be out for a minimum of three months” and “will see the surgeon some point this week to check there is no more damage and get a return time”.

Christie is the first member of the provisional squad to pull out of this week's crucial clash with Austria in Vienna but John O'Shea and Stephen Ward are also major doubts after missing out on club action last weekend with knocks.

Stephen Quinn missed Reading's win at Wigan due to a knee problem and James McCarthy is also expected to miss out.

Those injury woes could clear the way for Harry Arter to make his competitive debut.